I Will
by glitterstar7
Summary: Tie-In to My Ranger Talk Series: Set after A Different Shade of Pink. After Kim gives her power coin to Kat, Tommy heads to Angel Grove Park to clear his mind. Kim surprises Tommy, and they realize they need to talk about what's going to happen once Kim moves to Florida. Once the move happens, the couple faces challenges they never expected
1. Chapter 1

After Kim gave her power coin to Kat, Tommy was so conflicted. He managed to give a small smile to the new pink ranger, but he was heartbroken that the love of his life was leaving. He quickly left the Command Center and headed to Angel Grove Park.

Tommy needed some space to collect his thoughts… thankfully he was alone as Kim headed off to tell her guardians, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, and her parents the news that she was going to take Coach Schmidt's offer to train in Florida.

Tommy meant every word that he wanted nothing but the best for Kimberly. Part of him wished he could have convinced her to stay, but he understood how important this was for her. Kim always wanted to be a professional gymnast… she was so talented, and he knew she would do great in the Pan Global Games. She deserved the chance to follow her dream, and while she had been so torn Tommy knew he made the right choice convincing her to go. But his heart was breaking… he was going to miss her terribly.

Kim had been willing to stay… she loved being a ranger, and Tommy knew she didn't want to leave him and their friends. But staying in Angel Grove would have weighed Kim down like an anchor… she would never get another opportunity like this. He didn't want Kim to end up resenting him. This had to be the hardest thing he had ever done in his life… he loved Kimberly with all his heart and seriously wanted a future with her.

Tommy sighed and threw some rocks at the water. Suddenly, he heard a soft voice from behind sweetly say, "I thought I would find you here."

Tommy softly grinned and turned around to see his beautiful girlfriend, "Hey beautiful… what are you doing here? I thought you would be packing right now."

Kim slightly frowned, "Handsome, I'm not leaving just yet. Besides, I wanted to see how you were holding up… I can see it in your eyes. I know you are hurting."

Tommy sighed at that… Kim knew him too well. She must have read his emotions on his face right away, "Kim, I'm sorry. It's just… this is hard. I know how great this opportunity is for you, but I'm going to miss you."

Kim let out a soft sigh as well… she hated seeing Tommy look so sad. Part of her was beginning to regret her decision… but it was too late now. She had already accepted Coach Schmidt's offer and Kat was now her official replacement on the team.

Kim kindly said, "I'm going to miss you too. Part of me still doesn't want to leave, but it's not for forever. I'll be home before you know it."

Tommy gave a soft smile… he loved that Kim was trying to stay positive, but he knew that this was going to be a major change for their relationship. Kim was going to be gone for a long time… she would be finishing their senior year in Florida. It was going to be difficult to keep their relationship going… especially with him still being an active ranger.

Tommy replied, "Kim… I love that you're being so positive about this. But think about it… what's going to happen to our relationship?"

The honest comment felt like a stab to Kim's heart… she hadn't thought that far ahead. She teared up a little, "Tommy… this is the hardest thing I ever done in my life. I love you… I wish you could go with me."

Tommy just wrapped his arms around Kim, "I love you too… believe me I would go with you in a heartbeat. But I'm still a ranger… I have a responsibility here."

Kim sadly smiled at that, "And I wouldn't ask that of you… the team needs you right now. Tommy, I don't want my leaving to ruin our relationship. I need your love and support right now."

In all honesty, Kim was getting a little scared. She feared that Tommy was having second thoughts and wouldn't blame him if he wanted to end things between them.

Tommy saw the fear in Kim's eyes… he gently kissed her to reassure her of his feelings, "You know I will always love and support you… no matter what. Long distance relationships are tough, but I think we can work through this."

Kim smiled at that… she was beginning to feel hopeful again. She was honestly relieved that Tommy wanted to work things out, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that. I was beginning to think you were going to break up with me."

Tommy sighed at that, "Beautiful… that is the last thing I want. I don't want to throw away our relationship… we've been through so much together."

Kim nodded in agreement, "I know… I don't think I could have survived being a ranger without you. And you have no idea how much I appreciated your support when my power coin was in Zedd and Rita's hands."

Tommy gave a small smile, "Hey, it was the least I could do… you helped me so much when I lost my Green Ranger powers and I wanted to be there for you when we thought the Pink Ranger coin was gone forever."

Kim replied, "I'm glad that I was able to pass on my powers to Kat… I know she'll be a great replacement. But I've seen the way she looks at you… I think Kat really likes you, and you'll be working a lot with her in the future."

Tommy just let out a small chuckle… it was kind of refreshing to see Kim a little jealous, but he wanted to reassure Kim that she had nothing to fear, "Beautiful… you have nothing to worry about. I only see Kat as a friend… and I will do my best to make sure she knows and respects that."

Kim sighed in relief, "I trust you… I know you wouldn't hurt me that way. How about we make a promise right now? We are going to do our best to stay in contact while I'm away… we'll take our relationship a day at a time."

Tommy just wrapped Kim in a gentle hug, "We'll write letters and call each other as much as possible. I want to hear all about your training, and how you do at the Pan Global Games."

Kim just smiled at that, "I promise, and I want you to keep me in loop of what is happening here at home. I want to know about your karate tournaments, and how the team is doing while I'm away."

Tommy promised, "I will… while I'm going to miss you, I know you are going to be amazing in Florida. You're already a talented gymnast, and you are only going to get better."

Kim just kissed Tommy… she felt incredibly lucky that she had such a supportive boyfriend. While she knew things were going to change once she moved, she hoped that their relationship would be strong enough to weather this storm. Long distance relationships were not easy to be in, but Kim now had hope that things would work out in the end. She hoped one day she could have a happy future with Tommy, but she would never be prepared for what life had in store for her and Tommy next.

_**Hey! I know it's been a while! This story came to me after listening to Jimmy Wayne's "I Will", and I got inspired to write about what happened after Kim gave her coin to Kat. This ties into my Ranger Talk Series, so I might add more to this story to tie into Kim's time in Florida. Hope you enjoy and I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! **_


	2. Chapter 2

After their talk, Tommy and Kim were feeling somewhat better about their whole situation. Kim kept busy for the next couple of weeks preparing for her move to Florida. At first, she had been a little concerned how she was going to complete her senior year but was reassured by Coach Schmidt that she would be able to complete her high school education. Coach Schmidt had professional tutors on staff to ensure that his athletes would be able to complete their education, and Kim would have classes for a few hours a day in addition to her training schedule in the gym.

While Kim was busy preparing for her move, Tommy kept busy trying to keep up with his classes and his ranger duties. Now that Kim was no longer the Pink Ranger, he was having to adjust to having Kat on the team. Kat did well on her first ranger mission, and he was impressed that she had been able to quickly adapt to her new powers. Kim had indeed chosen a wonderful replacement, and he felt that Kat would continue to do well in her new role. It didn't make it any easier that he still wished he had his true Pink Ranger by his side.

Tommy decided he needed to have an open and honest discussion with Kat… while he only saw Kat as a friend, he couldn't ignore the fact that Kim had been a little jealous. Kim was normally not the jealous type, and he wanted to make sure that he was not leading Kat on in any way. While Kim wasn't thrilled about the whole situation, she understood that Tommy was doing this out of respect for their relationship. She couldn't be mad at him for that.

Tommy had decided to talk to Kat without the other rangers around… this was going to be awkward and he didn't want to embarrass Kat in front of the team.

It was after lunch, and the team was heading to their classes. The boys had already gone ahead so Kat and Aisha were walking together. Kat was talking to Aisha about their weekend plans… the girls had quickly become friends, although Aisha still was fiercely loyal towards Kim. Aisha liked Kat, but she did miss having Kim on the team.

Kat asked, "Aisha, how's Kimberly been doing? I know she's preparing for her move, but I'm sure this experience hasn't been easy on her."

Aisha nodded, "Honestly Kat… I think Kim is still torn about her decision to go to Florida. But I've told her how great you've been doing, and she was really happy that you're fitting in so well on the team."

A huge smile formed on Kat's face… it meant a lot that Kim was happy for her. The new pink ranger had a lot of respect for Kimberly… she could only imagine how hard it must have been for the original pink ranger to give up her powers. Kat hoped that she could carry the mantle of the Pink Ranger with the same honor and integrity as Kim had. Now that she was the Pink Ranger, Kat vowed to use the powers for good, and atone for all the horrible things she had done under Rita's spell.

Kat happily replied, "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. So, when is Kim's last day in Angel Grove?" Aisha sighed as she answered, "She leaves after this weekend…. I think she plans on spending Saturday with Tommy and then her flight's on Monday."

Kat nodded, "Maybe Sunday, the team could do a small get-together to wish her good luck. That way she gets to spend some time with her friends before she leaves."

Suddenly Tommy walked up the girls. Tommy quickly asked, "Hey, Kat… could I talk to you for a sec?"

Kat was a little surprised, but gave a small smile towards the White Ranger, "Sure, Tommy." The two excused themselves from Aisha and began to walk.

Kat asked, "So, what did you want to talk about?" Tommy sighed as he looked down at his feet, "Kat, do you mind meeting me after school at the park? I really need to talk you about something, and this is something I don't want to talk about in front of the others."

Kat was awfully curious, but managed to say, "That's fine, Tommy. I don't have anything planned after classes."

Tommy nodded, "Great, well I better get going. I don't want to be late to my next class. I'll see you later."

Kat just gave a small smile as Tommy walked away. As Kat made her way to her next class, Aisha surprised her, "What did Tommy want?"

Kat simply answered, "Tommy asked to talk to me after school… from the way he acted, it sounded kind of personal."

Aisha just shook her head, "Kat… tread lightly. I've seen the way you look at Tommy sometimes… I can tell you like him."

Kat blushed a bit a that to which Aisha continued, "As a friend, I don't want you to get hurt. Tommy's a sweetheart, but he's blinded by his feelings for Kim. Please don't do anything that will risk your friendship with them… Kim likes you as a friend, and it took a lot for her to trust you with her power coin."

Kat sighed at that; she hadn't expected that Aisha could tell right away about her feelings for Tommy. If Aisha could see it, now she was scared that Kim or even Tommy could figure it out. "Am I really that obvious? Aisha, I appreciate what you're saying. I really don't want to betray Kim's trust… I promise I'll be careful around Tommy. I don't want to do anything that will spoil my friendship with them."

Aisha just nodded… she knew this wasn't an easy situation to be in and honestly felt bad for the new pink ranger. She had a sneaking suspicion that Kat's heart was about to get broken… she just hoped that the team dynamic and all their friendships would be able to stay intact.

After school, Tommy waited by the lake for Kat to arrive. He was slightly anxious to have this conversation… he wasn't much to talk about his feelings, but he had to be honest with Kat if they were going to continue to be friends and partners on the team.

Tommy heard soft footsteps approaching and turned around to see Kat walking up. Kat kindly smiled at her teammate, "Hey Tommy… so, what's going on? At school, it looked like you had a lot on your mind."

Tommy just nodded, "It's been tough… especially since Kim's leaving so soon. At least we talked about our relationship, and plan to take things day by day while she's gone."

Kat was happy for the couple and kindly replied, "That's wonderful Tommy. Long distance relationships are tough, but I feel you and Kim will make things work."

Tommy just gave a small smile in appreciation… he took a small breath to gather his courage, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but Kim and I talked about you."

Kat just gave a curious look as Tommy continued, "Honestly, Kim was a little concerned about my friendship with you. Kim's not the jealous type, and I know it took a lot for her to tell me."

Kat's face fell at that reveal… she felt awful that Kim was feeling that way. The last thing Kat wanted was for Kim to feel like she was trying to steal Tommy's affections. Even though she still had feelings for Tommy, she respected that he loved Kim. She wouldn't dare try to interfere in Tommy and Kim's relationship.

Tommy felt like a heel seeing how crestfallen Kat looked, "Kat, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. Kim does like you… she's so grateful to you that you helped save her life and that you gave her the courage to follow her dream. That's why she gave you the Pink Ranger coin. She has faith in you to carry on her legacy, and I know you won't let her down."

Kat began to smile at that, "Thank you for saying that. But I don't want Kim to be jealous of me. I feel awful about that."

Tommy kindly said, "Why don't you talk to Kim before she leaves? Kat, you're a great girl and a wonderful teammate. I really like having you as a friend, but I hope you can respect that I love Kim."

Kat understood where Tommy was coming from… he was just trying to be respectful to his relationship, and she couldn't blame him. She nodded, "Tommy, you're a good guy. I'm lucky to have you and Kim as my friends. I don't want to ruin our friendship, and I appreciate your honesty. I'll talk to Kim… she's a lucky girl to have you."

Tommy grinned, "Thanks for being so understanding, Kat. I'm glad you still want to be my friend."

Kat joked, "Well, it would be hard to partner our zord if we weren't friends. I better go… I got a lot of homework to catch up on."

Tommy nodded, "I do too… might as well take advantage before Zedd and Rita start causing trouble again."

The two friends laughed and headed their separate ways. Tommy felt a little better after the whole conversation. While he felt bad that he hurt Kat's feelings a bit, he was grateful that she was so understanding. Kat really was a good friend, and hopefully Kat and Kim would be able to talk things over. He felt confident that any conversation between Kat and Kim would go well… while things might be awkward for a bit, he had faith the girls would be able to remain friends.

Kat appreciated Tommy's honesty… while she knew she needed to work through her feelings, she was not going to ruin her new friendships. She would talk to Kim to reassure her that she wasn't out to ruin the former pink ranger's relationship.

Tommy and Kim talked a bit after dinnertime… Kim agreed to talk to Kat, which Tommy was very relieved to hear. Kim already had a lot to deal with her move, and Tommy wanted her last days in Angel Grove to be happy. Kim's final days at home were going to be bittersweet, but Tommy was determined not to let that get to him. He was realistic that the move was going to be challenging, but he needed to stay strong right now. The next few months could break them, but Tommy had hope for his relationship. Not knowing by the fall, everything would change.

_**Hey, long time no see! I finally got this part written down... believe me it took a while, with writer's block and being super busy. Things have slowed down a bit now that my college switched over to online due to this crazy Cornavirus pandemic. Honestly, I'm just ready for life to get back to normal. At least writing helps me to cope and gives me somewhat a sense of normality. Stay safe everyone, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I promise that I'm going to try to have another update up soon... hopefully it won't take me so long! **_


	3. Chapter 3

After talking with Tommy, Kim was relieved that the conversation between her boyfriend and their new friend went well. Kat was a good person, and hearing that she took Tommy's honesty so well reassured Kim that she made the right decision in choosing the pretty Australian as her successor.

Due to Tommy's insistence, Kim agreed to talk to Kat to "bury the hatchet" between them. Kim knew this was something she had to do… now that Tommy had set his boundaries, she needed to do the same so she wouldn't ruin her friendship with Kat.

Kat was in the middle of working on the rest of her homework, when she heard the phone ring. Kat figured that the call was for her parents, so she didn't bother to pick up her bedroom phone.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door… Mrs. Hillard said, "Katherine, the phone is for you. It's your friend Kimberly."

Kat's eyes widened in surprise, but replied, "Okay, Mom! I'll get it!" She quickly reached for her phone, awfully curious why Kim was calling her.

Kat kindly said, "Hey Kim, this is a surprise. How's it going?"

Kim replied, "Keeping busy with preparing for this move… I never realized how much stuff I had."

Kat chuckled at that… she could relate as she was still settling into her new home, "I know how that is… and I had to move and get used to a new country. I do miss my old home, but I'm beginning to love Angel Grove."

Kim smiled at that, "That's great Kat. I'm so glad that you're fitting in so well at school and with the team. Hopefully I can adjust as well as you have… I'm still kind of nervous about the move."

Kat reassuringly said, "You're going to do great Kim. I know it's not easy leaving home, but you're an amazing gymnast, and this training is only going to help you. I have faith you are going to rock it at the Pan Global Games."

Kim was amazed that Kat had that much faith in her, "Thanks, Kat… that means a lot. The Games aren't until the Fall, so hopefully I can place and get a spot on the team during the summer. It's not going to be easy… I know I'll be training non-stop."

Kat agreed, "Pan Global training is always intense… makes me glad my diving days are over. I don't think I could handle that training along with ranger duties."

Kim laughed a bit at that, "Oh, I don't know Kat, I think I handled being a ranger fairly well… despite that I got hurt a few weeks ago."

Kat immediately felt guilty about that… Kim would have never had gotten hurt if she hadn't stolen her coin in the first place. "You wouldn't have gotten hurt if I hadn't taken your coin. How's your health been after the accident?"

Kim quickly replied, "Kat, I hope you know I don't blame you for my accident. I'm fine now, thanks to your quick thinking calling the ambulance right after you found me."

Kat sighed in relief; she was grateful that Kim didn't blame her for the accident. In fact, seeing Kim injured helped Kat break Rita's evil spell, and brought her back to her true self.

Kim continued, "You know I wouldn't be going to Florida if you and the team hadn't encouraged me. I know it's getting late, but I was hoping we could meet after school tomorrow. I really would like to talk to you some more before I leave."

Kat smiled… she figured that Tommy must have talked to Kim and was relieved that Kim wanted to work things out, "I'd love that, Kim. How about the park? That way we can talk privately."

Kim happily agreed, and the two agreed to meet up at the gazebo. Both girls were a little nervous, but ready to get this conversation over with.

The next day, as soon as school let out Kat quickly made her way to the park to meet up with Kim. Kat was the first to arrive at the gazebo, so she sat down to relax and collect her thoughts.

Kat thought long and hard on what she wanted to say to Kim. Kat felt awful about the whole situation… she kicked herself for having feelings for Tommy. She cared for Tommy a lot, but she accepted that Tommy felt nothing but friendship for her. His heart belonged to Kimberly, and she didn't want to destroy that. She hoped she would be able to let Kim know that.

Suddenly a soft voice interrupted her thoughts, "Hey, Kat… it's good to see you."

Kat turned to see Kim arriving, and just smiled at the original pink ranger, "Good seeing you too, Kim. I'm glad we're able to hang out a bit."

Kim went ahead and sat down, "Me too… I know I haven't been around much since I've been packing. I can't believe I leave after this weekend."

Kat nodded, "It's understandable. Moving takes a lot of planning. How are you coping with it all?"

Kim decided to be honest about her feelings, "Honestly, it varies day to day. Some days I'm excited, other days I'm dreading it. Part of me still wants to stay home… but the other part is telling me this move is good for my future. I just hope I'm not making a mistake."

Kat felt sad that Kim was feeling so conflicted, "Hey moves are always scary. I know I wasn't looking forward to moving here after I had lived my entire life in Australia. But I'm so grateful that you and the team befriended me… you guys helped save me and welcomed me with open arms after all the evil things I did under Rita's spell."

A small grin formed on Kim's face, "Kat, I think I know why Rita's spell didn't completely work on you. Deep down you are a good person… that's why you were able to fight the spell. Did you know Tommy first started out as the evil Green Ranger?"

Kat's eyes grew wide, "What? Are you serious? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Kim just chuckled, "It's something Tommy's not proud of. He doesn't like to relive that… he almost succeeded in defeating the team. It happened when he first moved to town… Rita spied his and Jason's karate match and decided to cast a spell to make Tommy into her loyal servant. Tommy was a handful when he was evil, but thankfully Jason was able to break the spell."

Kat nodded… she didn't know Jason personally, but she had heard plenty of stories about the original Red, Yellow, and Black Rangers from Tommy and the others. "I still can't believe that Tommy was under a spell like me. Now I don't feel so awful… if he was able to reform and become the leader of the rangers, there's hope that I can be a good Pink Ranger."

Kim gently put a hand on Kat's shoulder, "I know you will be a great ranger… you may just become a better ranger than me."

Kat laughed at that, "I doubt it, but thanks. I'm going to do my best to live up to your example as a ranger."

Kim just smiled… Kat really was a sweet person. Now she was feeling a little foolish that she had been jealous of the new Pink Ranger. Talking with Kat now, she felt that Kat would be able to respect the boundaries she and Tommy set.

Kim let out a small sigh, "Kat, this isn't easy for me. I know you talked to Tommy, and I'm feeling awful about it."

Kat just nodded, "Kim, its okay. You were just being honest with your boyfriend. I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. I hope you know that I'm not that kind of girl… I respect your relationship. Tommy and I talked things over, and I'm happy just being friends with both of you."

Kim gave a sheepish look, "You still want to be my friend?"

Kat went ahead and gave Kim a hug, "Of course, I still want to be your friend. You were the one to believe in me after all the things I did to you. I will always be grateful that you forgave me… you didn't have to give me your coin. How about we just let this whole awkward situation go?"

Kim agreed, "Sounds good to me. It's hard enough that I'm moving… I don't want to leave having one of my friendships ruined. Promise me something?"

Kat nodded, as Kim continued, "Please take care of Tommy while I'm gone. I've always been by his side as a ranger, and I know he's taking it hard that I'm leaving. Watch his back when you're out in the field. I'm trusting you to help him now that you're his partner."

Kat felt honored that Kim was placing a lot of trust in her, "I promise. I'll be there as a supportive friend and partner."

Kim felt better now that she was honest with Kat, "Thanks for being so understanding Kat. You have no idea how much I appreciate it."

The girls hugged, both so relieved that they were able to keep their friendship intact. Kim had really grown to like Kat and was relieved that she had been so forgiving about the whole situation. Kim still wasn't 100% comfortable with Tommy having a new partner on the team, but she trusted that Kat would make sure that nothing would happen to Tommy and their teammates.

Kat was happy that everything worked out between her and Kim. She knew it had been hard for Kim to be so honest, but she appreciated that Kim had been so open with her. She now felt that she had a stronger friendship with Kim and wished her nothing but the best. It wasn't easy to start over, and Kim needed all the support from her friends right now. Kat knew it was going to take time working through her feelings, but she was feeling confident that she would be able to keep her promise to Kim.

With that little bit of drama out of the way, Kim felt like a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders. It was already hard enough that she was leaving home… Kim hoped that everything would work out while she was in Florida, not knowing how challenging the next few months was going to be.


	4. Chapter 4

_Late April 1996- After A Zeo Beginning _

Kim could hardly believe that she has been in Florida nearly two months now… she had left home at the end of February, and now May was right around the corner. Another school year was coming to an end, and her and her friends were now going to be seniors.

Kim sighed whenever she thought about home and her friends… she missed them terribly, especially Tommy. Training was intense, and now that summer was approaching Coach Schmidt was planning on ramping things up to prepare for the fall. Kim was not looking forward to longer hours in the gym but figured it would help to take her mind off her homesickness.

Kim had been fine for the first few weeks, but as her training increased, she realized she was missing her old life. She missed her boyfriend and her friends… hell, she even missed being a ranger. Sure, she did not miss being targeted by Zedd and Rita, but she did miss the adrenaline and fighting side by side with her team.

Kim had just completed her routine… it had been flawless, but it was missing her old spark and she knew it.

Sure enough, Coach Schmidt commented, "Kimberly… your execution was perfect, but where is your spark? Is everything okay?"

Kimberly sighed, "I don't know Coach… I am doing my best. I guess I just have a lot on my mind."

Coach Schmidt nodded, "Understandable… but you need to get your head together. The Qualifiers will be here before we know it, and I would hate for you not to get a spot. You are talented, but I think you need to take some time for yourself. Take a couple of days off… relax, call your friends from home. I think that will help you immensely."

Kim nodded in agreement, "I think you're right, Coach. Thanks for being so understanding."

Coach Schmidt just kindly smiled, "Not a problem… just take care of yourself. I don't want you to get injured… especially since your fall back in February."

Kim shuddered at that… that fall was caused by pushing herself too much. She had been exhausted trying to keep up with her training alongside her ranger duties. She had been stupid to be training by herself late that night… her exhaustion caused her to misjudge her dismount and have one of the worst falls in her life. She was lucky Kat had been poking around to spy on her and was grateful that her fall helped the real Kat return. Thankfully, there was no lasting damage, but Kim knew she needed to be careful. Another fall would be devasting and most likely would destroy her career.

Coach Schmidt kindly patted Kim on the shoulder and walked away to observe his other students. Kim began to pack her things to head back to her dorm.

Jackie, her roommate and new friend, walked up to her. Jackie slyly commented, "Saw that routine, Hart. Flawless, but it was not up to your normal standards. Is the golden girl losing her touch?"

Kim rolled her eyes… while she liked Jackie, she knew the redhead saw her as a professional rival. She had heard talk from some of the other girls that Jackie had been the golden girl, until she had joined the team. Kim was currently the top gymnast on the girls' team and had worked hard to earn that position.

Kim playfully shoved Jackie, "Shut up Jackie… worry about your own routine." Jackie just laughed, "I'm just playing Kim… but seriously, get your head in the game. You know how Coach Schmidt gets if he thinks we are distracted."

Kim gave a small sigh, "I know… I just have a lot on my mind right now. I think I'm just homesick."

Jackie knew how that was, "Kim, you can't let that get to you. I miss my home too, but we are lucky to be here."

Kim nodded, "I know that." She then decided to change the subject, "So, how was your practice?"

Jackie grinned at that, "It went great! Coach Schmidt thinks I'm making great progress. If I can continue to improve, I think I have a great shot of making the Pan Global team in the fall!"

Kim was happy for her new friend, "That's great news… I know with summer training coming up we are going to be super busy trying to polish everything for the Qualifiers."

Jackie noticed the boys were now practicing, "Dang, the guys are looking good. We got some cuties on the team."

Kim rolled her eyes at that… there was only one guy that she had eyes for, "Jackie, you do know I have a boyfriend… one that I love very much."

Jackie sniggered, "I know… but it doesn't hurt to look. Although I'll admit, with the pictures I've seen of him, Tommy is hot. How long have you been dating him?"

Kim replied, "We've been together 3 years now." Jackie looked at the petite brunette in surprise, "You've been together that long?! Man, it must have been hard for him to let you come here."

Kim slightly frowned at that, "Don't remind me… it was very hard on both of us when I decided to move here."

Jackie asked, "Have you talked to Tommy lately?" At that innocent question, Kim realized she hadn't talked to Tommy in a while. She had not gotten a call or even a letter from him in nearly 2 weeks… but she hadn't reached out to him either. She had been so busy with her training and was beginning to realize she was neglecting her relationship.

Kim's frown grew deeper at that, "Actually, it's been a while since we last talked. But he is just as busy as I am lately… he's active in the karate scene, and he goes to a lot of tournaments."

_Not just that… he's also a Power Ranger. I hope everything is okay at home… I bet something big has happened in the ranger world for him not to call or write to me. _

Jackie gently said, "Kim, be careful. Darla's boyfriend started to ignore her, and it turned out the bastard was cheating on her. You know how upset she was."

Kim winced at the mention of poor Darla… she was the sweetest person on the team, and one of the first people to welcome Kim when she first arrived. Darla had been so brokenhearted by her cheating ex-boyfriend, that it had severely affected her practices. Darla was doing better now, but all the girls had been warned not to let personal issues interfere with their training. Kim trusted Tommy enough that she scoffed at that notion, "Tommy is not that kind of guy… he's very loyal and wouldn't dare try to hurt me that way."

Jackie asked, "What about that Kat girl you told me about? Hasn't she been hanging out a lot with Tommy lately?"

Kim chuckled, trying to keep the old jealousy at bay, "Kat's just a friend… but I think I'll call Tommy when I get back to our room. I'm actually a little worried about him and want to check to make sure everything's okay."

Jackie decided to go get some dinner with the other girls to give Kim some privacy. Kim made her way to her dorm and grabbed her phone… hoping that Tommy would be free to talk.

_**Sorry about the long wait... I had been battling huge writer's block and had finals at school. I am so glad to be on summer break... now that I have a bit more time, I think I'll be able to write more. Hope you enjoy this chapter... up next, Tommy and Kim will finally talk. **_


	5. Chapter 5

Tommy couldn't believe how hectic the past few weeks have been… it felt like the Morphing Grid had been throwing challenge after challenge at him and the other rangers. First, Rita's father, Master Vile turned the rangers into children. Due to being so young, the team could no longer use their powers and had to rely on their ranger allies from Aquitar to defend Earth in their place. Each ranger had to go on separate quests to retrieve their Zeo Crystals. Thankfully, when the team reassembled the Zeo Crystal they were restored to their proper ages, but then had to deal with the destruction of the Command Center. Luckily, in their hurry to get away, Goldar and Rito dropped the Zeo Crystal in their escape, and the rangers were able to find it in the rubble.

The Zeo Crystal took the team underground, and the rangers ended up finding the Power Chamber. The team was overjoyed that Zordon and Alpha survived. But unfortunately, the reunion was cut short as Zordon shared the news that they had a new enemy on the scene. The Machine Empire had chased Lord Zedd and Rita away from their Moon Palace and were set on conquering Earth. King Mondo and Queen Machina, along with the rest of their empire, were declared to be even worse than their former rivals.

With the loss of their Power Coins, Tommy and the team were uncertain how they would be able to defeat this new enemy without their original ranger powers. Zordon revealed the Zeo Crystals would serve in place of their Power Coins, and the Rangers were presented with their new Zeonizers. With the Zeo Crystals, their ranger powers were stronger than ever.

There were major changes to the team with their new powers. Aisha had left the team and had given her Zeo Crystal to Tanya Sloan. Due to there only being 5 crystals, Billy retired as an active ranger for Tanya to keep her powers. Billy stayed on as technical support to assist Zordon and Alpha. Kat retained her color as Zeo Ranger I Pink, while Tanya became Zeo Ranger II Yellow. The others experienced a change in their ranger colors… Rocky became Zeo Ranger III Blue, Adam became Zeo Ranger IV Green, while Tommy was now Zeo Ranger V Red.

Tommy was still adjusting to his new powers… it felt weird being a red ranger now. He always associated that color with Jason and Rocky. Rocky was adjusting to being a blue ranger, as that was always Billy's color. Tommy had to laugh seeing Adam wearing his original ranger color… green would always be one of his favorites as that was his start as a ranger. But Tommy was relieved he still had his friends at his side… the Machine Empire was proving to be a challenge, but he had faith that the Rangers would be able to continue to do their job.

Tommy came home from a long day at school… he hoped that he could just relax and try to catch up on his homework before another monster was sent. He threw his backpack on his bed and grabbed his books to do some studying. As he sat at his desk, his eyes quickly darted to his pictures. He smiled as he saw the pictures of him and the team, and then a cute photo of Kim and him smiling at the camera. It was one of the last photos taken of them together before Kim moved away.

Tommy gasped as he realized he had not called or wrote to Kim lately… he kicked himself for being an idiot. He didn't mean to ignore his promise to stay in touch… life had simply gotten in the way. He was going to owe Kim a major apology… he had a lot to explain, and he hoped and prayed that his girlfriend would not be too angry with him.

Tommy was just about to grab the phone, when suddenly it rang. Tommy was startled for a second but went ahead and picked it up. He answered, "Hello?"

A familiar voice came over the line, "Thomas James Oliver, that better be you. I haven't heard from you in a while… you have some major explaining to do."

Tommy winced hearing Kim use his full name… the former pink ranger rarely called him by his real name, and only used it when she meant business. It took a lot to make Kim upset, and god help you if the original pink ranger released her anger on you.

Tommy braced himself, "Hey, Kimberly…. It's great to hear your voice." Kim scoffed, "Don't you dare try to sweet talk me, Tommy. I'm very upset with you right now… care to explain why you hadn't been in touch?"

Tommy sighed, "Kim, I'm sorry… you have every right to be angry with me. It has been a crazy few weeks, and I don't know where to start."

Kim softened at that, "Let me guess… a lot has been going on the ranger world. And it had to be something major for you not to call or write to me. Talk to me… tell me what's been going on."

Tommy took a deep breath and began to tell Kim about all the craziness that happened in the ranger world. Kim couldn't believe everything that had happened… her heart sank at the news of the loss of the original Command Center and the Power Coins. She had felt a special connection to her Pterodactyl and Crane coins but was relieved that the Rangers were able to use the Zeo Crystal to revive their powers. Kim was astonished that the Machine Empire was able to chase Lord Zedd and Rita away… those two were a formidable duo, so the Machine Empire had to be even more dangerous to chase the Rangers' former enemy away from the Moon Palace.

After Tommy finished the whole story, Kim was a bit more forgiving towards her boyfriend. Kim was able to reply, "You really have been through some craziness these past few weeks. I am still a little disappointed in you, but I'm glad that you and the team are okay. I need to be more patient and understanding when your ranger duties interfere… especially since it wasn't that long ago that I was a ranger myself."

Tommy kindly said, "It's okay, beautiful. I should have been more considerate, and at least wrote you something. I'm going to try to do better."

Kim replied, "Tommy, what's happening to us? We used to be able to communicate so well… that's what made us such great partners on and off the field."

That felt like a dagger to Tommy's heart. It made him feel even worse than he already did. He loved Kim, but the long distance was beginning to take a toll on their relationship.

Tommy sighed, "Kim… I don't know what to tell you. I love you, but it feels like our different responsibilities keep getting in the way. The last thing I want is to hurt you… and I'm sorry if I've been acting like a jerk."

Kim let out a heavy sigh as well, "I'm sorry too… I am just as much to blame for not staying in touch. I need to make more of an effort, and not let our communication fall all on you. I've just been too focused on my training, and it's beginning to take a toll on me."

Tommy got a little concerned at that, "Kim, you need to take care of yourself. I don't want you to have another fall like last time… you have no idea how scared I was seeing you in the hospital."

Kim agreed, "You're right. Training has just been more intense than I thought it would be. I miss home… mainly I miss you and our friends. Heck, I even miss being a ranger."

Tommy chuckled a little, "Believe me, I miss having my pink ranger by my side. I miss seeing you every day."

Kim began to cry hearing that Tommy missed her just as much as she missed him, "Part of me thinks I made a huge mistake. Maybe I should reconsider all of this, and just come home."

Tommy's heart hurt hearing Kim cry… while he missed her, he did not want Kim to give up on her gymnastic dreams.

Tommy gently said, "Beautiful… please. I hate that you're feeling like this. I don't want you to give up on your dreams… as much as I miss you, I want you to succeed. Part of me wishes I could give up my powers and just head down to Florida to be with you."

Kim sniffled, appreciating how supportive Tommy was being, "Don't say that, handsome. You are not giving up your powers for me… the Rangers need your leadership. Besides, who else could keep Rocky and Adam in line?"

Tommy laughed at that, "I guess you're right. Although Kat and Aisha have done a great job helping me keep them in line. Now that Tanya's joined the team, I think she'll help as well."

Now that she calmed down a bit, Kim was able to think more clearly. Tommy was right… she couldn't give up on her training just because things were getting difficult.

Kim sighed as she replied, "I'm glad we talked. I needed to hear your voice… and thanks for being so supportive. I guess I didn't realize how hard things were going to get."

Tommy agreed, "Hey we knew this was going to be difficult. But I still think we can work through this. Just keep doing your best during your training, and both of us just need to do better in staying in touch."

Kim nodded in agreement, "You're right… well, I better go. I had a long practice earlier today, so I better get some rest. At least Coach gave me a couple of days to recharge."

Tommy replied, "I'm glad your coach gave you a break. Take it easy, beautiful. Promise that you'll call me if you start getting overwhelmed again?"

Kim just softly smiled at her boyfriend's concern, "I promise, handsome. Let's try to talk again sooner… I don't want us to go another two weeks without talking. I love you… and I'm not just saying that just because I miss you."

Tommy felt his heart sigh in relief and managed to say, "I know… I love you too." The two said their goodbyes, promising to talk again within the next few days.

Tommy and Kim were beginning to realize they needed to do better to keep their relationship alive. Things were so much easier when they were both rangers. While they still loved each other, the long distance was making things more difficult than they had expected. Kim was still dealing with the intense pressures of her training and having to adjust being in a new place, while Tommy still needed to focus on his ranger duties. The couple hoped that one day things would get easier… not realizing how quickly things were going to change.


	6. Chapter 6

As summer began, Tommy and Kim's lives were busier than ever. Kim's training had increased, but after her conversation with Tommy, she was doing better coping with the pressure. She was making more of an effort to make friends with her teammates, and she was calling and writing to Tommy and her friends back home more often.

Tommy's ranger duties never seemed to slow down… the Machine Empire was constantly sending down their cogs and monsters, but Tommy and the team were finally getting used to their Zeo Powers. Tommy realized he needed to find a balance between his personal and ranger worlds and was doing his best to be more considerate of Kim's feelings. Things were still not easy for the couple, but they were making the effort to keep their relationship alive.

The training center was busier than ever, and now the coaches were combining the practices into co-ed practices so they could see the progress of every gymnast to see who would be best to compete at the Pan Global Qualifiers.

Kim was having an amazing practice, and everyone at the gym was noticing the petite brunette. Kim was happy that her routine was improving, although she knew a few of the girls couldn't stand how well she was doing. She had no idea she had caught the attention of some of the guys.

Mark Davidson had just finished getting off the matts and was taking a breather with his friends, while watching the others practice. Mark was the best male gymnast on the team, but he had a reputation for being a flirt with the girls. The dirty-blonde haired gymnast knew he was good-looking and used his looks to his advantage. He had none of Tommy's loyalty and humility.

Mark quickly noticed Kim and asked, "Whoa, who's the brunette? She's doing awesome!

His friend, Ricky, replied, "That's Kimberly Hart… Coach Schmidt's new golden girl. She joined the team back in March… I'm surprised you hadn't introduced yourself to her.

Mark playfully shoved his friend, "Hey, I don't know every girl on the team. I'm surprised I haven't noticed her until now."

Ricky rolled his eyes, "Hey behave yourself around that girl. Kim knows how to take care of herself… she has some karate training and is from Angel Grove. You know, the home of the Power Rangers?"

Mark chuckles, "I can't believe a little thing like that is from Angel Grove. How do you know so much about her?"

Ricky replies, "She's friends with Darla and Jackie, and I hung out with them a few times. She's really nice, but she is a firecracker if you get her angry."

Mark gives Kim another look… he is smitten by her looks. While he likes to play the field and has dated several of the girls on the team, he hopes to eventually get the best girl on the squad. He thought that Jackie was the best, but this petite brunette is clearly better.

Ricky notices the look in Mark's eyes, "Don't even think about it, dude. I see how you're looking at Kim. Hate to break it to you, but she has a boyfriend. Besides, don't you have a little thing going with Jackie?"

Mark shrugs, "Jackie's fun, but it isn't serious. I'll admit Kim is gorgeous… too bad she's taken."

Ricky can't believe his friend… Mark always did have a roving eye but setting his eyes on a girl who was in a committed relationship was a new low. Kim was a friend, and Ricky could tell how much she cared about her boyfriend whenever she talked about him.

Ricky warns, "Mark, I consider Kim a friend. Just leave her alone. Do not try to charm her… her boyfriend is a karate champion and is very protective of her. The poor girl has been having a tough time being away from home and doesn't need you trying to get with her."

Mark rolls his eyes… he was surprised Ricky was being so protective of his new friend. Ricky walked away, not wanting to get into a fight with Mark. Ricky and Mark were childhood friends; both grew up in Los Angeles and began taking gymnastics lessons at a young age. Ricky was the more level-headed of the two and usually could keep Mark in line, but he hated how Mark treated girls. Mark was spoiled and used to getting what he wanted… Ricky just hoped his friend would heed his warning and leave Kimberly alone. Kim was a sweet person and did not need Mark causing trouble for her.

Kim was already done with her routine and made her way to the water cooler to take a breather. Jackie and Darla quickly followed to congratulate their friend.

Darla hugged the petite brunette, "You did incredible, Kim! Your routine was awesome… I have no doubt you are going to kill it at the Qualifiers!"

Jackie joked, "Looks like the Golden Girl is back! Everyone was watching you today… no doubt you got a few admirers and sparked some jealously!"

Kim laughed, although she suspected Jackie was probably one of the jealous ones who watched her routine, "Thanks… I'm glad you liked it. I've been working hard on that routine, so I hope that I can continue to improve it before we head to competition."

Darla noticed Mark was staring at them, "I hate to say it, Kim, but I think you got Mark Davidson staring at you."

Kim turned her head slightly, and sure enough noticed the dirty blonde gymnast was checking her out, "Great, I hate it when guys are checking me out. This is when I miss having Tommy around."

Jackie was a little jealous that Mark was checking out her friend but managed to say, "Mark's not a bad guy, but he is a bit of a flirt. I'd stay clear of him."

Darla nodded in agreement, "He may be Ricky's best friend, but I agree he is such a player. How do you know so much about him, Jackie?"

Kim noticed the blush on Jackie's face as she answered, "I may have gone out with him a couple of times. He's fun, but I don't think he's looking for a serious commitment."

Kim rolled her eyes at that news, "Guys like that are nothing but trouble. I'm lucky Tommy's not like that. I really miss him, but we really are trying harder to keep our relationship together."

Darla put a supportive hand on Kim's shoulder, "You're really lucky that you have such a supportive boyfriend. My ex didn't even want me to come here… then he started cheating. You know how well I took that news."

Kim gave a soft smile, "Darla, you didn't deserve that. But look how far you've come now… you're a talented gymnast, and any guy would be lucky to have you as a girlfriend. I've seen how Ricky looks at you… I think he really likes you, and maybe you should give him a chance instead of keeping him in the friend zone."

Jackie and Kim laughed at Darla's blush… it was obvious Darla liked Ricky but was too afraid to take a chance. Darla playfully shoved her friends, and the girls quickly started talking about other things. Kim quickly pushed her thoughts about Mark out of her mind; she decided to ignore the guy's obvious interest in her for now.

As Kim and her friends walked away, Mark could not get the petite brunette out of his mind. Kim was beautiful and talented… all the qualities he liked in a girl. It was no surprise that a girl like that was already taken. He noticed that Kim rolled her eyes when she noticed him staring at her… that was a first for him. He was so used to girls falling for him, so it made Kim a challenge for him. Mark decided to try being friends with her, and then lay on the charm. Mark would bide his time, but he was now set on getting this beautiful girl to be his.


	7. Chapter 7

Practices seemed to be more intense as the summer continued. It was getting harder for Tommy and Kim to stay in touch. The couple did their best to keep up with regular phone calls and exchange weekly letters, but lately it felt like life kept getting in the way. Tommy was always being called away due to his ranger duties, and Kim was beginning to feel a little neglected again.

Kim understood the difficulties of ranger life, but she was still human. She was still a teenager who was missing her boyfriend and her old life. She would throw herself into her practices to deal with her homesickness.

After having several amazing practices, Kim was having a rather awful one this day. She knew she was distracted…. she had been trying to get ahold of Tommy, and it seemed liked they just kept playing phone tag. She would call to try to talk to him, but it felt like Tommy was hardly home whenever she called. Then Tommy would call her while she was in the middle of practices and wouldn't get his messages until it was late in the evening. Kim was frustrated… it also didn't help hearing news from the other rangers that Tommy and Kat were becoming closer friends. While she trusted Tommy, her old jealously of Kat was trying to rear its ugly head again.

Part of the reason why Kim slightly distrusted Kat was that she figured one of the main reasons why Kat targeted her during her "Evil Kitty-Kat" phase was because Kat wanted her out of the way so she could have Tommy. Kim had no idea how correct she was… but the real Kat had proven to be a sweet and caring person. Kim had to keep reminding herself Kat was a friend and respected her and Tommy's relationship.

Coach Schmidt quickly noticed his golden girl was having an off day, "Hart… you need to watch your execution! That can deduct major points during competition."

Kim hopped off the beam, "I understand, Coach. I guess I'm just having an off day."

Coach Schmidt simply sighed, "Kimberly, you are a talented gymnast. I know you are better than this. Out of all the girls, you have the highest potential of making the Pan Global team. You cannot afford to be distracted at this time. How about you run through the routine one last time? Then we'll call it a day."

Kim nodded in agreement and hopped back on the beam to practice again. She took a deep breath to relax and began to get into her zone.

Mark had just finished his own practice, and quickly noticed Kim's practice. He could see what Coach Schmidt was seeing…. Kim was performing the moves okay but was not putting her normal spark into them. It was like she was just performing on pure instinct, and she looked like she had a lot on her mind.

Mark knew when a girl was distracted, she had to be dealing with personal issues. Maybe Kim was having trouble with the boyfriend, and this was an opportunity Mark could not pass up. If he wanted to get to know Kim better, he needed to become friends with her. Then hopefully as their friendship progressed, he could then pour on the charm and finally get the most talented girl on the team to be his.

Kim spun and performed well on the beam, but she was ready to be done with this practice. She just wanted to go to her dorm and wallow. Maybe she could try to call Tommy, and hopefully he would be home so they could finally talk. She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not pay attention to her footing before her dismount.

Unlike her accident in February, Kim was now fully aware she was falling. Kim prepared to brace herself to land on her side, when suddenly she felt someone catch her.

Mark quickly ran to the object of his affection's side the moment he saw her lose her footing. He caught Kimberly just in time… the poor girl was shaken, but relieved to be okay.

Coach Schmidt ran to Kim's side, "Hart! Are you okay?! That was a close one… thank goodness you caught her Mark!"

Mark managed to look humble, "I quickly noticed that Kim was about to lose her footing… I couldn't let one of our teammates get hurt."

Kim quickly squirmed her way out of Mark's arms, "I got distracted, Coach. I'm so sorry… I guess I better just call it a day."

Coach Schmidt nodded in agreement, "I'm glad you're okay. Get some rest Kimberly… we'll get back to work tomorrow. Just promise me you'll be more careful… you are lucky Mark caught you in time."

Kim nodded as Coach Schmidt excused himself and went to grab her things. She was embarrassed that she let herself get so distracted.

Mark gently touched Kim's arm and gave his best supportive smile, "Hey, are you okay? That was almost a nasty fall you had there."

Kim turned towards the guy who saved her, "I'm fine… just having a rough day. You saw my practice… not one of my best ones. I haven't had such a rough practice in a while. Thank you for catching me… my fall could have been a lot worse if you hadn't saved me."

Mark smiled at that… this was his in now, "You're welcome, Kim. I'm just glad that I made it in time."

Kim prepared to leave when Mark asked, "Hey, are you hungry? I know I had a long day, and I could use a friend to keep me company."

Kim shook her head, but managed a small smile, "Mark, you seem like an okay guy, but I don't think it would be a good idea. I have a boyfriend back home, and I was kind of hoping to call him in a while."

Mark chuckled… he did admire Kim's honesty, "Kim, I'm just asking you to get a bite to eat as a friend. I can respect that you have a boyfriend. I promise I won't keep you out too late… we can just eat, vent a little about our hellish practices. I don't have many friends on the team besides Ricky, so it would be nice to make another friend."

That made Kim relax a little and let her guard down a bit. She honestly felt a little sorry that Mark didn't have many friends, and despite her reservations she managed to say, "I guess I do owe you for saving me. Fine, we can grab a quick dinner before curfew as friends. But I'm warning you… no funny business."

Mark laughed, "Wouldn't think about it." The two left the gym… Mark overjoyed that Kim's near accident helped him out better than he expected. Kim had finally lowered her guard, and Mark felt he now had a better shot of winning her heart.

**_I'm back! So sorry about the lack of updates... been super busy with work, and I was battling some major writer's block. Hopefully I'll be able to write more soon. _**


	8. Chapter 8

Tommy couldn't believe how quickly the summer went. School had just started up again, and Tommy hoped that he could have a somewhat normal senior year. Of course, he was realistic that ranger duties were constantly going to interfere. Being a Power Ranger was a balancing act… it didn't leave Tommy and the other rangers a lot of time to just enjoy being teenagers. And sometimes, Tommy felt that he did drop the ball on his personal life.

Tommy felt horrible when he heard about Kim's near accident at the gym… while he was grateful that Kim was okay, he felt awful when Kim confided that she had been distracted because of their sporadic communication. He felt like such a horrible boyfriend… Kim would always forgive him, but the long distance was truly causing cracks to appear in their relationship.

The bright spot was his friendship with Kat had improved… she was a supportive friend and was proving herself to be a great ranger. The other rangers noticed that Tommy and Kat were becoming closer as friends… Tanya especially noticed the change between her two teammates.

Tanya may have been a new addition to the Power Rangers, but she had quickly bonded with her new friends. She loved Kat like a sister, and she could see that Kat still cared deeply for Tommy. Kat had admitted to Tanya that she did care about Tommy but valued her friendship with him and Kimberly too much. Tanya knew that Kat was the type of girl who cared deeply, but she also had a strong sense of loyalty and honor. Kat was not the type of girl who would try to steal a friend's boyfriend.

At first, Tanya didn't think much about the blossoming friendship between Tommy and Kat… she just attributed their closeness due to them usually partnering up together during ranger battles. But over time, Tanya noticed how Tommy and Kat would interact apart from the other rangers… the two would occasionally hang out and study together. And unfortunately, Tanya began to hear rumors spreading all over school about her two friends. Tanya decided to have a word with Tommy… while she liked and respected Tommy, she would be honest with him and warn him to be careful in his interactions with Kat.

The rangers had been hanging out in the park after school… they were making the most of their downtime and were happy not to be rushing off to their next battle. Thankfully, the Machine Empire had not sent down another monster yet, so the rangers were grateful that they could be normal teenagers for a little while.

Rocky had taken a quick look at his watch, and saw that it was getting late, "Guys, I better get going. I got homework to catch up on, and I need to get a couple of books out of my locker before school gets locked up."

Billy nodded, "I better go as well… I promised Zordon and Alpha I would run some diagnostics on the Zords before I have to get home."

Adam got up as well, "Hold up, Rocky… I'll go with you. I forgot some books as well, so we might as well grab our things together."

Kat also got up from her seat, "I promised my mom I would help her with dinner tonight, and I have a lot of studying to do tonight. I have several tests coming up, so I really want to do well. Tanya, are you coming?"

Tanya replied, "I'm going to head to the library and try to study there for a little while. But I'll be home in time for dinner." Kat nodded as she slung her bag over her shoulder and gave a small smile to Tommy as she left. Since the others were leaving, Tommy began to gather up his things. After the others were out of earshot, Tanya asked, "Tommy, do you mind if we talk? It's kind of personal, and I didn't want Kat and the others to be involved."

Tommy was curious, but nodded in agreement, "Sure, Tanya… what did you want to talk to me about?"

The two went ahead and sat back down on the park benches. Tanya took a deep breath, hoping that Tommy won't get upset with her, "Tommy… what's going on between you and Kat? You two have gotten awfully close for not being a couple, and I really think you should be careful."

Tommy crossed his arms, "Tanya… Kat and I are just friends. Besides, you know I'm still dating Kimberly. I wouldn't dare cheat on my girlfriend or string along one of my best friends that way."

Tommy was a bit upset and embarrassed at this line of questioning… what had he done for Tanya to think that he was leading on Kat? Sure, he and Kat have gotten closer as friends, but Kat knew very well where his heart was. He loved Kim and wouldn't dare cheat on her. Now that he was seriously thinking about it, he had been spending more time with Kat than he should. They had gone to the movies together a few times, and often studied together at the library when the others couldn't join them. He could now see how people could get the wrong idea. Now he was worried word would spread to Kim; it took Kim a long time to trust Kat, and this could spark the jealously again and ruin their hard-earned friendship.

Tanya felt like a heel and could see how uncomfortable Tommy was getting. She quickly apologized, "Tommy, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make you upset. You and Kat are my friends… but people are talking around school. I know you are committed to Kimberly, but I really think you should be careful with Kat. Kat cares about you… and I don't want her to get her hopes up."

"Tommy sighed, "Kat's a great girl… I do care about her, and I value her friendship. But the last thing I want is to lead her on. I've been in a relationship with Kimberly for 3 years now, and I do love her. I don't want to do anything that will jeopardize my relationship with her. "

Tanya nodded, "Tommy, I know you are a loyal guy. And I know you don't want to hurt Kim or Kat in any way. But this is a messy situation to be in, especially since Kim is not living here anymore. I may not know Kim personally, but I know how it is to leave behind the only life you've ever known. I can imagine it wasn't an easy decision for Kim to move away. I'm not saying all of this to be a jerk… I'm saying this because I care."

Tommy patted Tanya's hand, "I understand… you're just looking out for us. You're a good friend Tanya… I think I have a lot to think about. I think I just need to concentrate on my relationship with Kim right now… we've been having trouble staying in touch, and I think the stress of being apart is beginning to affect us. I don't want to lose my friendship with Kat, but I'm definitely going to be more careful around her."

The two friends hugged, and Tommy thanked Tanya for her honesty. Tanya just smiled and headed on her way to the library. It had been hard for her to be so honest, but she was glad Tommy listened to her and was seriously going to take her advice.

Tanya had left Tommy with a lot to think about. He was honestly conflicted… while he still was very much in love with Kimberly, it scared him that he could be developing feelings for Kat. He hoped that he would be able to work through his conflicting emotions. He would take Tanya's advice, and really work on his relationship with Kim. He had no idea of the trouble brewing in Florida, and that a certain playboy gymnast was slowly charming the love of his life away from him.


End file.
